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Nutrition for the Early Years

Nutrition for the Early Years

By: Dr. Liz Daniels DO FAAP
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Nutrition for the Early Years – Guilt-Free Guidance for Feeding Your Family


Nutrition for the Early Years is a pediatric nutrition podcast for parents seeking evidence-based guidance on infant feeding, toddler nutrition, and child health. Hosted by dual pediatrician + registered dietitian Dr. Liz Daniels, this show explores newborn and infant nutrition, introducing solids, baby-led weaning, complementary feeding, formula feeding, multivitamins for kids, growth and development, and picky eating solutions—all through the lens of real pediatric nutrition science.

From feeding anxiety and selective eating to questions about appetite, supplements, and healthy eating habits, this podcast helps parents build a confident, guilt-free feeding mindset. You’ll learn how to support your child’s relationship with food in ways that nourish growth, protect early childhood nutrition, and align with your values—without fear-based messaging or all-or-none thinking.

Food goes deep. It’s often not until we begin feeding our own children that we revisit our childhood nutrition experiences—comments that shaped us, arbitrary rules, pressure around healthy eating, and the quiet guilt many of us carry. Feeding kids has a way of surfacing old narratives and challenging us to rethink what child nutrition really means.

This is where the conversation begins—supporting families through toddler feeding, early childhood feeding, and raising children with a strong, positive relationship with food. Because nourishing your family isn’t about perfection. It’s about clarity, confidence, and understanding what truly matters in the early years.


You are in the right place if you are asking questions like:

-How do I get my child to eat vegetables?

-Why does my toddler suddenly refuse to eat (or only eat one thing)?

-Is my child eating enough to grow properly?

-How much protein does my child actually need?

-What are the best healthy snacks for kids?

-How much milk should my child drink, and what kind?

-How can I improve my child's immune system through food?

-How can I help my child have a healthy relationship with food?


© 2026 Nutrition for the Early Years
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Episodes
  • Episode 22: Your Toddler Needs More Carbs Than Protein: What Parents Need to Know
    May 25 2026

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    Is your toddler refusing meat and reaching for carbs and fruit instead?

    In this episode, Dr. Liz helps parents breathe easier about toddler protein needs. She explains why young kids usually need far less protein than many parents think, and why carbohydrates play such an important role in growth, brain development, and energy. You’ll learn how toddlers can meet their protein needs through simple foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, beans, nut butters, grains, and seeds. Dr. Liz also shares what to do when kids refuse meat, why protein shakes are rarely needed, and how to keep offering new foods without pressure. This episode is a caring reminder that variety, practice, and a calm table matter more than chasing big protein numbers.

    What You’ll Learn:

    • Why toddlers need less protein than many parents think
    • How much protein kids aged 1 to 3 usually need
    • Why carbs are important for growth, energy, and brain development
    • How milk and dairy can help meet protein, calcium, and vitamin D needs
    • What to do when your toddler refuses meat
    • Why repeated exposure still matters, even when food gets spit out
    • How plant-based protein pairings can support growth
    • Why protein shakes are rarely needed for toddlers
    • How snacks, hunger, and meal structure affect picky eating
    • Simple ways to add protein with beans, seeds, nut butters, and grains


    Episode highlights:
    (0:00) The common toddler protein worry
    (1:33) What this episode will cover
    (2:01) Why toddlers often start refusing meat
    (3:16) Why adult protein goals do not apply to young kids
    (5:32) How much protein toddlers really need
    (7:32) Milk, dairy, and complete protein
    (9:03) Why offering meat still counts, even if they do not eat it
    (10:32) What to consider if your child does not drink milk
    (12:00) Plant-based protein pairings like beans and rice
    (14:25) Snacks, hunger, and toddler behavior
    (16:07) Why kids need more carbs than protein
    (17:06) Why protein supplements are rarely needed
    (18:28) How to reduce pressure at the dinner table
    (20:30) Easy protein ideas with beans and seeds
    (23:06) The bigger goal: variety, practice, and less stress

    NEW COURSE! "Read the Pattern: Feeding Your Baby 0–4 Months" — because a healthy relationship with food starts earlier than most people think. Course Link!

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    24 mins
  • Episode 21: How to Stop All-Day Snack Battles Without Being Restrictive
    May 18 2026

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    If snack time feels like it has taken over your whole day, what if the problem is not your toddler, but the lack of a clear rhythm?

    In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels explains why toddlers ask for snacks so often, why their hunger can feel unpredictable, and how parents can bring calm structure back to the day. She shares how to create a simple snack rhythm, build balanced toddler plates, and offer food in a way that supports hunger cues without turning every request into a battle. You’ll also learn how to hold kind, clear boundaries when your toddler pushes back, without bribing, bargaining, or feeling like the snack police. This episode is a caring reminder that structure is not the same as restriction, and your child can feel loved, safe, and well-fed while learning when food is offered.

    What You’ll Learn:

    • Why your toddler is not the problem
    • Why constant snack requests often come from a lack of rhythm
    • How toddler hunger cues change with growth and development
    • Why parents can stay predictable when eating feels unpredictable
    • How to build toddler meals and snacks with simple portion guides
    • Why snacks should include both protein and carbohydrates
    • How to respond when your toddler says they are hungry again
    • Why boundaries around snacks do not have to feel restrictive
    • What to say when your toddler pushes back at snack or mealtime


    Episode highlights:
    (0:51) Why snack requests become all-day negotiations
    (1:33) What this episode will cover
    (2:21) Why your toddler is not the problem
    (3:11) Toddler development, autonomy, and feeding behavior
    (4:14) Why toddler hunger and fullness cues can feel unpredictable
    (5:55) The key shift: stay predictable when your child is not
    (6:32) Why snack boundaries can feel hard for parents
    (8:27) Toddler meal and snack portion sizes
    (9:47) Using variety and smaller portions to support better eating
    (11:08) How to build a balanced snack
    (12:15) What it may mean when your child refuses a snack option
    (13:15) What to say when toddlers push back
    (14:16) Why toddlers do not need food every 20 minutes
    (15:50) How to hold snack boundaries with kindness
    (17:12) Feeding support and course information

    📩 Loved this episode? Join the newsletter for weekly support straight
    from me — completely different content from the podcast.
    👉 newstorynutrition.com

    ⭐ If this episode helped you, please share with a friend!

    Join the list for early bird pricing!

    "Read the Pattern" A Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding 0-4 Months- Without the Spiral is going live Mother's Day 5/11/2026, and you can sign up here to hold your early bird price!


    NEW COURSE! "Read the Pattern: Feeding Your Baby 0–4 Months" — because a healthy relationship with food starts earlier than most people think. Course Link!

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • Episode 20: Finding the Right Fit: What Your Pediatrician Wants You to Know About Goat Milk Formula for Your Baby
    May 11 2026

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    If you have ever wondered whether goat milk formula is only a backup plan, or if it can be a safe first choice, this episode is for you.

    Goat milk infant formula is newer to many parents in the U.S., but it is not a “last resort” option. In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels sits down with Dr. Ari Brown, a board-certified pediatrician and Baby 411 author, to talk through how goat milk formula compares to cow milk formula and breast milk.

    They cover safety, FDA standards, digestion, protein structure, constipation, fussiness, and when a baby may need something more specialized. Most importantly, they offer calm, guilt-free guidance for parents who are trying to feed their baby well, whether breastfeeding, formula feeding, or doing both.

    WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

    • Why goat milk formula can be a first-line option from day one
    • How goat milk formula compares to cow milk formula and breast milk
    • Why protein structure matters for digestion, gas, and fussiness
    • Why most fussy babies do not have a true cow milk protein allergy
    • What the FDA approval process means for infant formula safety
    • Why Clean Label certification matters to some families
    • How formula can affect poop, constipation, and stool changes
    • When to switch formulas cold turkey and when to transition slowly
    • When to talk with your pediatrician before moving to a specialty formula


    KEY TIMESTAMPS:
    (2:03) Who this episode is for and why formula decisions feel overwhelming
    (8:52) FDA approval, safety standards, and Clean Label certification
    (13:30) How goat milk formula compares to breast milk
    (17:24) Goat milk protein, curds and whey, and easier digestion
    (21:44) Using goat milk formula from day one
    (23:14) Fussiness, gas, and cow milk protein allergy
    (27:06) Constipation, stool changes, prebiotics, and formula
    (32:31) How to switch formulas safely
    (34:53) Where to find Kabrita and how to follow Dr. Ari Brown

    ABOUT DR. ARI BROWN:
    Dr. Ari Brown is a board-certified pediatrician, founder of 411 Pediatrics in Austin, Texas, and author of the award-winning Baby 411 book series. She has served as a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics for over 20 years and has been the chief medical advisor for Kabrita since 2023.

    CoMiSS Score for Cow Milk Protein Allergy:
    Vandenplas Y, Salvatore S, Ribes-Koninckx C, Carvajal E, Szajewska H, Huysentruyt K. The Cow Milk Symptom Score (CoMiSSTM) in presumed healthy infants. PLoS One. 2018 Jul 18;13(7):e0200603. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200603. PMID: 30020980; PMCID: PMC6051613.


    🔗 Learn more about Kabrita:
    www.kabrita.com
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBv5dhcS7XHhAjEczA0i_xA
    https://www.instagram.com/hellokabrita/
    https://www.tiktok.com/@hellokabrita
    https://www.facebook.com/hellokabrita

    🔗 Connect with Dr. Ari Brown:
    https://www.draribrown.com/
    https://www.instagram.com/aribrownmd
    https://www.tiktok.com/@aribrownmd
    https://www.youtube.com/@AriBrownMD/shorts


    📩 Loved this episode? Join the newsletter for weekly support straight
    from me — completely different content from the podcast.
    👉 newstorynutrition.com

    ⭐ If this episode helped you, please share with a friend!

    Join the list for early bird pricing!

    "Read the Pattern" A Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding 0-4 Months- Without the Spiral is going live Mother's Day 5/11/2026, and you can sign up here to hold your early bird price!

    NEW COURSE! "Read the Pattern: Feeding Your Baby 0–4 Months" — because a healthy relationship with food starts earlier than most people think. Course Link!

    Show More Show Less
    38 mins
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